Sterile generator housing and support

ABSTRACT

Disclosed herein is a new apparatus for eluting sterile nonpyrogenic radioactive material safely, effectively and with a minimum of radiation exposure to the operator. This unit comprises a support base that supports a housing for a sterile generator, said support base having notched sleeves incorporated therein.

United States Patent [191 Czaplinski et al.

STERILE GENERATOR HOUSING AND SUPPORT Inventors: Thomas V. Czaplinski, North Brunswick; Gerald A. Bruno, Shrewsbury; Thomas A. Haney, East Brunswick, all of NJ.

E. R. Squibb & Sons, Inc., Princeton, NJ.

Filed: Jan. 3, 1972 Appl. No.: 214,747

Related US. Application Data Continuation of Ser. No. 778,523, Nov. 25, 1968, abandoned.

Assignee:

US. Cl ..250/434, 250/435 Int. Cl. G2lh 5/02 Field of Search 250/106 T, 108 R 1451 Jan. 1, 1974 [56] References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 3,156,532 11/1964 Doering et al. 250/106 T 3,369,121 2/1968 Bruno et al. 250/106 T 3,446,965 5/1969 Ogier et a1. 250/106 T Primary Examiner-Archie R. Borchelt Attorney-Lawrence S. Levinson et al.

[5 7 ABSTRACT Disclosed herein is a new apparatus for eluting sterile non-pyrogenic radioactive material safely, effectively and with a minimum of radiation exposure to the operator. This unit comprises a support base that supports a housing for a sterile generator, said support base having notched sleeves incorporated therein.

10 Claims, 6 Drawing; Figures PATENTED JAR SHEET 1 [IF 3 FIG] INVE/V TORS THOMAS V. CZAPLINSKI GERALD ABRuNo BY THOMAS A. HANEY ATTORNEY PATENIEI) JAN I 19M SHEET 2 OF 3 INVENTORS THOMAS V-CZAPLINSKI GERALD ABRUNO THOMAS A. HANEY M f A T TORNE Y PATENIED N 1 14 3.783.291

' sum 3 0F 3 INVENTORS THOMAS V. CZAPLINSKI GERALD A. BRUNO y THOMAS AHANEY AT TORNEY STERILE GENERATOR HOUSING AND SUPPORT This is a continuation, of application Ser. No. 778,523, filed Nov. 25, 1968 now abandoned.

The preparation of sterile radioactive isotopes is becoming well recognized in the field of medical radioisotope chemistry. These sterile isotopes are generally utilized for scanning and diagnostic purposes in medical institutes and hospitals. Among the more common utilized isotopes are Technetium 99m, Strontium 87m, and Indium 113m.

There are many apparatus currently utilized to increase the safety and efficiency of milking the radioisotope. Each one of the units presently utilized fails in one way or another to satisfy the operator or doctor eluting the radioisotope. As can be appreciated, these units are extremely 'heavy due to needed protective shielding, thus any excessof equipment to perform the operation becomes cumbersome and subject to increased danger of spillage. It has been found that the apparatus described herein provides a simple, rapid and safe means of effecting the preparation of a radioactive isotope solution from their decaying parent radioactive isotopes. The apparatus of this invention retains the isotope in a generator without emitting radiation to the surrounding atmosphere by keeping it completely shielded and when operated separates the radioactive solution with a minimal danger of radiation, exposure to the operator.

In accordance with this invention it has been found that a support for delivering radioactive isotopes which comprises a housing and a support for said housing, said support having a sleeve to receive said housing and notched recesses within said support to receive delivery tubing therein provides the operator with a functional system which decreases manipulative steps and helps reduce the possibility of spillage and seepage of radioactive materials.

In the drawings: 4 r

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of the apparatus with portions cut away;

FIG. 2 is a top elevation view of the milking tube;

FIG. 3 is a sectional side view of an eluting tube with attachment therein;

FIG. 4 is a sectinal side view of an eluent spike;

FIG. 5 is a top plan view of support top;

FIG. 6 is a side elevation view of support side showing side notches.

Referring to FIGS. 1, 5 and 6, housing 10, which may be made of lead or any other material that can be utilized as a radioactive shielding, contains a sterile generator 12 of the type disclosed in U. S. Pat. No-

3,369,121. Housing issupported on support stand 14 which is completely enclosed on all sides with suitable material, e.g., aluminum and on top plate 16 with material made of radioactive shielding, e.g., lead. Support 14 has a notched recess or slot 18 in its top 16 and side 20. Housing 10 is constructed so that it can be easily arranged over sleeve 22 and rest on shoulder 24 of support stand 14. Sleeve 22 is structured with protrudence 26 to accommodate in joint manipulative fashion the bottom edge 13 of sterile generator 12.

Referring to FIG. 3 elution tube 40 is made of conventional material for conveying radioactive elements and has attached thereto at one end 41 thereof a hypodermic needle 42. At its other end 43 there is affixed or inserted into tubing 40 a pierceable stopper 44. In the operation of this invention to be described hereafter, it will be ovbious that pierceable stoppers may be inserted at each end of the tubing 40, or alternatively, hypodermic needles may be placed at either end of the arrangement described in FIG. 3 and hereafter revised.

I-Iypodermic needle 42 and stopper 44 are inserted into tubing 40 via nipple joints 45 and 47, respectively. Nipple joints 45 and 47 have have conduit means 48 to allow for the flow fluids.

These nipples 47 and 48 also have female notches 49 and 50 for insertion into notched slips 20 and 18, respectively, of support stand 14. The flanges 49a, 49b and 50a, 50b are included to be received on the opposite sides of the support stand 14 and the plate 16 respectively, in the vicinity of the slots 20, 18. It is to be understood that variations of this female notched arrangement is within the scope of the invention. at FIG. 7 wherein nipple 120 has male projections 122 and is inserted into female notched recesses 124 in the support stand 14 (not fully illustrated).

Hypodermic needle 42 is protected in transit by cover 60 which is removable when the hypodermic needle is made ready for use. Slideable collar 62 also protects needle 42 in shipment and assures the sterility of the needle when the sterile generator is inserted on the support stand in a manner thereafter described.

Eluent spike 70, FIG. 4, is constructed in a manner for insertion into cover 64 of housing 10. This spike is formed with hypodermic needle 66 at one end thereof and composite hypodermic needle 68 at its other end. Composite needle 68 comprises delivery conduit 71 to allow for the flow of liquid by gravity into and through hypodermic needle 66 and passageway 72 to allow for air to be passed into eluent bottle 75 through inlet tube 77.

In operation stand 14, housing 10 and sterile generator 12 are delivered to the technician. Included in this kit are elution tube 40 (FIG. 3) and milking tube (FIG. 2).

An evacuated collecting vial 82, eluent bottle 75 containing an eluting solution 86, such as sterile saline, is also incorporated therein. A composite spike 70 is also incorporated with the kit.

Generator stand 14 is placed so that sleeve insert 18 is in upright position. Elutiontube 40 is connected, within the interior confines of support stand 14, by being received within the slots 18, 20 and is supported by the flanges 49a, 49b and 50a, 50b.

Cover 60 is then removed from. hypodermic needle 42 and discarded.

Housing 10 is then placed on support stand 14 and generator 12 is then sterily fixed into housing 10 so that hypodermic needle 42 pierces the bottom of generator 12s pierceable membrane 88.

Spike 70 is then inserted through cover 64 so that hypodermic needle 68 pierces membrane 91 of sterile generator 12. Thereafter, eluent bottle 75 is affixed to spike 70 by inserting composite needle 68 through its membrane 90.

Utilizing sterile techniques, milking tube 80 is then inserted into stopper 44 by means of hypodermic needle 92. The other end of milking tube 80 containing hypodermic needle 94 is then inserted through the membrane 96 of evacuated collecting vial 82.

In operation, the vacuum in bottle 82 causes the eluent material in elution bottle 75 to flow through spike 70 while air is drawn through inlet tube and passageway 77. The eluent material flows through the sterile generator, through elution tube 40 on through milking tube 80 and into collecting vial 82.

Since many embodiments may be made of the present invention and since many changes can be made in the embodiment described, it is to be understood that the foregoing description is to be interpreted as illustrative only and not in a limiting sense.

The invention may be variously otherwise embodied within the scope of the appended claims.

We claim:

1. Apparatus for eluting radioactive isotope solution which comprises a radioactive material generator, a container of eluent supported above said generator to establish a gravity feed condition, means to deliver solvent from said container to said generator for the formation of a radioactive solution, means for the support of said container above said generator, a generally frusto-conical supporting stand for said generator, said stand having an annular shoulder upon which said generator rests, and meanssupported within said stand to pass, by way of gravity feed, the radioactive solution from said generator to said milking means.

2. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein said stand comprises a slotted top plate and a notched side wall.

3. The apparatus of claim 2 wherein said means supported within said stand comprises a tube received within said slot in said top plate and a pair of opposed flanges connected to said tube and which are received on opposite sides of said top plate, in the vicinity of said slot, for the support of said means.

4. The apparatus of claim 2 wherein said means supported within said stand comprises a tube received within said notch in said stand and a pair of opposed flanges connected to said tube and which are received on the outside and inside respectively of said stand, in the vicinity of said notch, for the support of said means.

5. The apparatus of claim 3 wherein said means supported within said stand comprises a tube received within said notch in said stand and a pair of opposed flanges connected to said tube and which are received on the outside and inside respectively of said stand, in the vicinity of said notch, for the support of said means.

6. In the apparatus of claim 4 said generator comprising in its lower part a sealing membrane and said apparatus further comprising a hypodermic needle connected to, and in fluid communication with, said tube, said needle extending from said tube and piercing said membrane.

7. The apparatus of claim 6 wherein said milking means further comprises a conduit external of said stand, a hypodermic needle in fluid communication with, and connected to, one end of said conduit, said tube comprises a sealing membrane and said needle is adapted to pierce said membrane and the other end of said conduit is connected to, and in fluid communication with, said vial.

8. Apparatus for eluting radioactive isotope solution which comprises a radioactive material generator, a

container of eluent supported above said generator to establish a gravity feed condition, a sealing membrane in the lower part of said container, means to deliver solvent from said container to said generator for the formation of radioactive solution, a sealing membrane in the upper part of said generator means for the support of said container above said generator, a stand for the support of said generator, milking means to deliver radioactive solution to a vial external of said stand, means supported within said stand to pass, by way of gravity feed, the radioactive solution from said generator to said milking means, the means to deliver the solvent comprising a spike having a primary conduit, one end of the spike piercing the membrane in the lower part of the container, the other end piercing the membrane in the upper part of said generator, thereby completing a fluid passage from said eluent container to said vial, said spike also including a secondary conduit to pass air into the eluent container.

9. The apparatus of claim 8 wherein the means for the support of said container is connected to said spike.

10. The apparatus of claim 9 wherein said spike includes an annular flange which is in contact with the mouth of said container for the support thereof.

p UNITED STA'IES PATENT OFFICE p CERTIFICATE OF (IORRECTION Patcntlio. 3,783 2 1 Data-d Janimv 1974 Inventofls) T Czanlinskii 'G. A. Bruno. and T. A, Hanev It 19 certified that error appears in the above-identified patent and that said Letters Patent are hereby corrected as shown below;

'- Column 1, lines 22 and 23, delete "from their decaying parent radioactive isotopes."

Qolumn l, line' 44 "secti nal" should read --sectiona l Column "2 line "1, "ovbious" should read obv ious--. Column 2 line 7, "here" is printed twice. Delete-one "have". i l

Column 2, lines 16-19, delete "at Fig. 7 wherein nipple 120 has l male projections 122 and is inserted into female notched recesses LL24 in the support stand 14 (not fully illustrated) t C luinn' 4, line '22, a' comma should be inserted between "generator? and "means" Signed and sealed this l3th'day of Augu'St 1974.

I (SEAL) Attest:

MCCOY M. GIBSON, JR. 0. MARSHALL DANN I --Attesting Officer Commissioner of Patents 

1. Apparatus for eluting radioactive isotope solution which comprises a radioactive material generator, a container of eluent supported above said generator to establish a gravity feed condition, means to deliver solvent from said container to said generator for the formation of a radioactive solution, means for the support of said container above said generator, a generally frusto-conical supporting stand for said generator, said stand having an annular shoulder upon which said generator rests, and means supported within said stand to pass, by way of gravity feed, the radioactive solution from said generator to said milking means.
 2. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein said stand comprises a slotted top plate and a notched side wall.
 3. The apparatus of claim 2 wherein said means supported within said stand comprises a tube received within said slot in said top plate and a pair of opposed flanges connected to said tube and which are received on opposite sides of said top plate, in the vicinity of said slot, for the support of said means.
 4. The apparatus of claim 2 wherein said means supported within said stand comprises a tube received within said notch in said stand and a pair of opposed flanges connected to said tube and which are received on the outside and inside respectively of said stand, in the vicinity of said notch, for the support of said means.
 5. The apparatus of claim 3 wherein said means supported within said stand comprises a tube received within said notch in said stand and a pair of opposed flanges connected to said tube and which are received on the outside and inside respectively of said stand, in the vicinity of said notch, for the support of said means.
 6. In the apparatus of claim 4 said generator comprising in its lower part a sealing membrane and said apparatus further comprising a hypodermic needle connected to, and in fluid communication with, said tube, said needle extending from said tube and piercing said membrane.
 7. The apparatus of claim 6 wherein said milking means further comprises a conduit external of said stand, a hypodermic needle in fluid communication with, and connected to, one end of said conduit, said tube comprises a sealing membrane and said needle is adapted to pierce said membrane and the other end of said conduit is connected to, and in fluid communication with, said vial.
 8. Apparatus for eluting radioactive isotope solution which comprises a radioactive material generator, a container of eluent supported above said generator to establish a gravity feed condition, a sealing membrane in the lower part of said container, means to deliver solvent from said container to said generator for the formation of radioactive solution, a sealing membrane in the upper part of said generator means for the support of said container above said generator, a stand for the support of said generator, milking means to deliver radioactive solution to a vial external of said stand, means supported within said stand to pass, by way of gravity feed, the radioactive solution from said generator to said milking means, the means to deliver the solvent comprising a spike having a primary conduit, one end of the spike piercing the membrane in the lower part of the container, the other end piercing the membrane in the upper part of said generator, thereby completing a fluid passage from said eluent container to said vial, said spike also including a secondary conduit to pass air into the eluent container.
 9. The apparatus of claim 8 wherein the means for the support of said container is connected to said spike.
 10. The apparatus of claim 9 wherein said spike includes an annular flange which is in contact with the mouth of said container for the support thereof. 